Roads in city, PCMC areas resemble moon’s surface

Pune: City roads, along with roads of fringe areas, are reportedly ridden with potholes owing to a few spells of rainfall in the past week. Moreover, road digging and construction work are also contributing to the bad condition of the roads in the city. 

Commuters have complained of issues, including delay in overall travel time and body aches.

However, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and Wagholi Gram Panchayat officials have said that the work related to filling of the potholes is being carried out as and when complaints are received.

Arun Deshmukh, a resident of Mankar Chowk in Wakad, said, “There are major potholes on the road from Mankar Chowk to Kalewadi Phata, Kaspate Vasti, Chhatrapati Shivaji Road, Datta Mandir Road, new DP Road in Pimple Nilakh and the road from Hinjawadi to Aundh. Due to these potholes, we are facing several health issues.” 

Sudhir Deshmukh, who stays on Datta Mandir Road in Wakad, said, “Not only potholes but the road digging work being carried out on Datta Mandir Road and Kaspate Vasti is making commuting unbearable for the past week.”

Sanjeev Singh, a resident from Baner Balewadi Road area, said that there are major potholes from Balewadi to Mahalunge Road at Balewadi crossroad and on Pancard Club Road near Murkute Garden.

Vaishali Patkar, a resident of Aundh, said, “Starting from my residence at Siddharth Nagar, there are potholes at Rishi Chowk in Aundh Gaon, near Spicer Higher Secondary School on Aundh Road. Pashan Road has very few potholes and only the internal roads along Baner-Pashan Link Road have potholes. The roads at several places are not constructed properly.”

Deepak Patil, a resident of Eon Free Zone in Kharadi, said, “Around a 100-metre patch road, which is a part of Grant Road connecting to Nagar Road, has not been constructed properly. The road has potholes as well. Recently, a few motorcyclists slipped on the road.”

Sanjeevkumar Patil, a resident of Baif Road in Wagholi, said, “Due to potholes and road digging work in Wagholi, including Bakori Road, Awhalwadi Road in Kalubai Nagar, Kesnand Road and Lohegaon Road, we get late for our work. This also leads to traffic jams.”

Both PMC and PCMC Road Department officials Aniruddha Pawaskar and Rajan Patil said that they are in the process of filling up the potholes. However, following the rainfall, potholes have resurfaced. “We have been receiving complaints from various parts of the city. Quick response teams are doing their work but continuous rainfall in the city has been a hurdle in the work,” they said. 

Deputy Sarpanch of Wagholi Gram Panchayat Ramkrushna Sathav said, “We know the fact that there are several and big potholes at certain places in Wagholi area. Since the Gram Panchayat does not have funds to repair the roads, we will inform the Public Works Department to carry it out.”